Southwark Council ignores local residents yet again

Over the past six years, Southwark councillors and officers have repeatedly ignored the views of those who live and work in the Dulwich area. As the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning might have said, “How do I ghost thee? Let me count the ways…”

DATE	ACTIVITY	COMMUNITY’S RESPONSE	COUNCIL’S RESPONSE
June 2020 - Jan 2021	Streetspace: Have your say on Commonplace	76% against DV LTN 62% against E. Dulwich LTN	Ignored Ignored
Feb 2021	Dulwich Village Association survey of high street businesses	98% against DV LTN	Ignored
July 2021	Residents’ survey of 800 households in ten streets around DV junction	80%+ want junction reopened	Ignored
27 Jul - Sep 2021 — Main Southwark Council public consultation on LTNs – see results below
4 Aug 2021	Online meeting with 16 BAME residents	Majority against LTN	Ignored
6 Aug 2021	Online meeting with 75 older residents	Majority against LTN	Ignored
12 Aug 2021	Online meeting with 44 disabled residents	Majority against LTN	Ignored
8 Sep 2021	Council meetings with Dulwich Village and East Dulwich shops	Majority highlighted sharp drop in trade & footfall due to LTNs, with redundancies and reduced opening hours	Ignored
11 Sep 2021	Protest by elderly/disabled against closure of Dulwich Village junction at junction itself	More than 100 elderly and disabled attended	Ignored
17 Sep 2021 — Consultation report published. Council boasts it received biggest ever response to a public consultation in Southwark. 7333 valid responses; 5,538 living or working in consultation zone. Report dated August, so written before consultation period ended. No reference to meeting held with shops and businesses
Main consultation findings	• Dulwich Village LTN • East Dulwich LTN • Champion Hill LTN • Disabled people • Older people • BAME people • Mothers with small children • Secondary school children • College/Further education • Graduate level students • Postgraduate level • Primary school children	64% said remove it 68.5% said remove it 69% said remove it 65% said remove it 70% said remove it 80% said remove it 57% said remove it 68% said remove it 65% said remove it 55% said remove it 50% said remove it Majority against	Ignored Ignored Ignored Ignored Ignored Ignored Ignored Ignored Ignored Ignored Ignored Ignored
1 Oct 2021 — Decision taken by Cllr. C. Rose to impose Dulwich LTNs despite majority saying they wanted them removed.
16 Oct 2021	Public protest against decision to close Dulwich Village junction	1,000 residents joined protest	Ignored
8 Dec 2021	Statutory consultation report	2,095 representations. 79% objected	Ignored
7 Dec 2021	Age Speaks protest outside Council offices	30 elderly and disabled travelled to Tooley Street	One couple invited in to address council meeting. Ignored
23 Dec 2021 — Decision taken to proceed with LTNs - announced on Christmas Eve
10 Feb 2022	Traffic orders made permanent.	—	—
April 2022	Head of Southwark Highways announces intention to “completely reconfigure and redesign the junction to potentially allow vehicles such as blue badge holders, taxis and SEND vehicles to pass through”	Announcement made during pre-election period of “heightened sensitivity” when the LGA advises councils not to make announcements that could affect election outcome	Labour councillors re-elected. Junction not reconfigured or redesigned to allow vehicles such as blue badge holders, taxis and SEND vehicles to pass through
29 Sep 2022	Full “co-design” of junction promised by Southwark Highways	Suggestions offered by One Dulwich and local residents as to how it could be made more inclusive	Ignored
4 Oct 2022	Online meeting held with One Dulwich	Suggestions offered as to how it could be made more inclusive	Ignored
10 Oct 2022	Southwark proposes closure of Turney Road to traffic and ignores One Dulwich request to allow blue badge holders through the junction. Two designs proposed: no opportunity given to reject both designs	66% of respondents objected to closure of Turney Road Majority against designs	Council decided not to close Turney Road (yet) Council claims “the feedback from the consultation was broadly supportive” (untrue). Admits “limited support for all three objectives”
27 Nov 2022	Petition letter signed by elderly and disabled residents asks for access for blue badge holders through the junction	Sent to then Leader of the Council Kieron Williams	Council rejected request saying other options for access for blue badge holders from Calton Avenue to Dulwich Village were being reviewed. Subsequently reneged on this commitment
22 Nov 2022	Town Hall meeting in Dulwich organised by five local residents’ associations. Local councillors invited.	Majority of attendees objected to LTNs. Chair of Dulwich Village Association highlighted damage to local shops	Councillors did not attend
6 Dec 2022	Petition by Dulwich residents to allow blue badge holders through Dulwich Village junction presented to Cabinet	600+ signatories	Cabinet meeting rejected petition and accused petitioners of “mansplaining”
Summer 2023	Phase 2 Consultation on proposed designs	67% critical of designs - requested new focus on reducing displaced traffic and access for people with disabilities	Ignored
23 June 2023	One Dulwich meeting with Cllr James McAsh, newly appointed Cabinet member for Streets, Climate & Clean Air	Proposed modifying junction design to allow car-dependent residents access, plus timed restrictions rather than 24/7 closure of junction	Rejected
Jan 2024	Phase 3 Consultation on revised designs	990 responses. 65% critical or not in favour	Ignored. Designs approved in March 2024
17 Mar 2024	New DfT guidance tells councils to change or remove LTNs that do not have community support	One Dulwich and many residents write to Southwark asking them to modify or remove the LTNs	Ignored
April 2024	Council decides to block emergency vehicles through key access route	One Dulwich and affected residents write to object	Ignored
July - Nov 2024 — £2 million+ spent on paving over Dulwich Village junction
28 Apr 2025	Community meeting of 100+ Dulwich Village Ward residents with Ward councillors	Majority of questions raised were about the LTN. Suggestions made about how to ameliorate impacts	Cllr Richard Leeming rejected all concerns and suggestions, saying “LTNs will not be lifted while Labour is in power”
July 2025	New Southwark Council leader, Sarah King, pledges Southwark will be defined by trusting residents who “know what is best for their local areas”	On 29 July, residents’ associations and One Dulwich write to Cllr King requesting a meeting to discuss suggestions to mitigate negative impacts of LTNs	Cllr King replies on 9 October refusing a meeting with her but saying she is happy for us to meet with officers to discuss issues raised to help improve the operation of the Dulwich scheme
7 Jan 2026	Meeting attended by One Dulwich and chairs of Dulwich residents’ associations held with Southwark Highways at the council’s offices in Tooley Street	Proposals discussed included improving safety at the junction; access to Dulwich Village for blue badge holders; and term-time only timed restrictions. Southwark Highways agree to respond	Southwark Highways write to meeting attendees on 5 February saying that they will not, after all, respond to concerns and recommendations
13 Feb 2026	One Dulwich, Dulwich residents’ associations and the Dulwich Village Association write to Dr Polyviou, Southwark’s Head of Highways, asking him for a site meeting in Dulwich to discuss recommendations	On 2 April 2026, Dr Polyviou responds to say that he agrees to hold a meeting in Dulwich after the local elections on 7 May, and asks Clement Agyei-Frempong to set this up. Potential dates for the meeting after 7 May are sent to Clement Agyei-Frempong.	—
26 May 2026	Dr Polyviou writes to say that the meeting would only go ahead if attended by Ward Councillors and that a meeting is not currently being taken forward.	On 29 May 2026, One Dulwich, Dulwich residents’ associations and the Dulwich Village Association (representing shops and businesses) write to Dr Polyviou, asking him to reconsider	Ignored